Publisher's Summary

The woman on the bed was barely out of her teens. She wasn't exactly beautiful, but she'd tried to make the most of her looks. And now, alone in a seedy beachfront motel, she was dead.

Paradise Police Chief Jesse Stone doesn't know her name. Whoever she is, she didn't deserve to die. Jesse starts digging, only to find himself caught in the crosshairs of a bitter turf war between two ruthless pimps. And more blood will spill before it's over.

Not bad; but not Parker.

Robert B. Parker Jesse Stone series continued by Michael Brandman is beginning to slip. The first two Jesse Stone mysteries done by Brandman were close in spirit to the Parker series. He did turn deputy Molly Grant into Charlie Sheen's housekeeper in Two and a Half Men; but in general kept Jesse's humanity intact. This selection did so as well. Unfortunately the works have become pretty formulaic as well as quite short in duration. I still find a great deal to recommend in the continuing Jesse Stone series. They are pleasant listens as well as affirmations in the morality of treating people as you would wish to be treated. A Chief of Police who encounters and takes down bullies of all stripes is a nice read for those of us who feel strongly about the current culture rife with so many different types of bullying. I continue to recommend the Jesse Stone series. Even if not as enthusiastically as I did when Robert Parker was the writer.

Exposé

Another Jesse Stone with all my favorite characters. Robert Parker's mysteries take serious subjects and educate the reader/listener with humor and compassion. James Naughton is my favorite voice for the Paradise police chief and his team. I suspect I am preaching to the choir!

Quite Disappointing

I've read all of Parker's Spenser and Jesse Stone novels and while the author chosen to continue the Spenser stories (Ace Atkins) seems to have hit the mark and is highly recommended, Michael Brandman is way off in his attempt to capture Jesse Stone. This book just never seems to get going. It's almost like a computer was programmed to hit all the marks of a Parker book (i.e., swim upstream of traditional thought, visit the crime boss, etc.) but the result is a very wooden effort that falls far short of anything written by Robert B. Parker.

Maybe my favorite Jesse Stone by Mr. Brandman

While Michael Brandman is no Robert B. Parker - this book seemed closer to the books of old. I liked the two cases, a murdered teenager and the possible mistreatment of residents in an assisted living situation. While I'm not sure if a police officer could handle things the way Jesse does - I like his style! My only complaint is that it was very short. Robert B. Parker's books weren't long either but this one seemed shorter. Perhaps I was enjoying it more and just didn't want my time with Jesse Stone to come to an end.

Naughton Shines even if the book doesn't

I gave this one 3 stars overall because James Naughton is fantastic performing this series. Unfortunately, the material he is working with is not as strong. Michael Brandman's characterizations of Parker's characters are fine, but the story never seems to go anywhere. Pleasant, sure, but this things seriously could have used somebody to punch up the story a bit.